Sam Allardyce today defended himself against criticism that he failed to condemn anti-Semitic chanting by a group of West Ham fans at Tottenham.

Visiting supporters on Sunday sang “Adolf Hitler, he’s coming for you” and made hissing noises, mocking the deaths of millions of Jews in gas chambers during the Second World War.

They also shouted “viva Lazio” and “can we stab you every week?” a reference to last week’s trouble in Rome where a Spurs fan was stabbed by a mob making anti-Semitic chants.

Having been reluctant to speak on the issue after the Premier League game, Allardyce addressed it during a media briefing for tomorrow’s match at ­Manchester United.

The West Ham manager said: “I was doing a press conference straight after the game and had no idea what had happened or what had been said.

“I wasn’t prepared and didn’t want to comment on it but since the game I have been made aware of what went on and it’s very disappointing to hear what was said by a small minority of fans.

“No one condones that sort of behaviour. There is zero tolerance by the club and we, Tottenham and the authorities will hopefully deal with it accordingly.

“I don’t know how I was supposed to react when someone says something I don’t know anything about.

“We had just been beaten 3-1, I wasn’t in the best of moods and I was expecting to talk about football. I am a football manager.

“Now, like everybody else, I don’t condone it, I don’t wish to hear any of that sort of chanting anywhere in this country.

“I must stress it is a small minority but they can make themselves heard at matches if they really want to.

“We must deal with it and the good thing is, with CCTV and security cameras today, it’s difficult for them to get away with it now and, hopefully, we can pick out those people and punish them in the correct manner. If we punish these people in the right way we will cut it out.”

Two fans were cautioned by police for making Nazi salutes and one of them, who has been identified as a West Ham season-ticket holder, has been banned from Upton Park.

The club are promising tough action against anyone else found to have taken part in anti-Semitic abuse.

Hammers midfielder Yossi Benayoun, who is Jewish, said: “I have a great relationship with the West Ham supporters. This is why I was very disappointed to hear some of the songs and it was embarrassing.”